Electrocautery surgical scissors

ABSTRACT

Surgical apparatus includes bipolar electrodes and tissue-shearing blades configured to electrically contact tissue for electrocauterization thereof prior to shearing contact of the cutting blades with the tissue over wide angles of presentation of the tissue to the electrodes and blades. Extensions or protrusions disposed along facing edges of the electrodes separate the level at which tissue is electrically contacted by the electrodes from the level at which tissue is sheared by the cutting blades.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is application is a continuation of application Ser. No.10/071,940, entitled “Electrocautery Surgical Scissors,” filed on Feb.5, 2002 by J. Lunsford et al., and now issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,749,609. The subject matter of this application relates to the subjectmatter described in application Ser. No. 09/739,595 entitled “ElongatedSurgical Scissors,” filed on Dec. 15, 2000 by T. Chang et al., nowissued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,207, which subject matter is incorporatedherein by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to surgical instruments incorporating scissorsand to surgical scissors, and more particularly to surgical scissorshaving electrocautery electrodes disposed adjacent tissue-cutting bladesfor selective cauterization and shearing of tissue.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Endoscopic surgery commonly requires manual manipulation of surgicalinstruments that are introduced into a surgical site within a patientthrough elongated cannulas containing one or more interior lumens ofslender cross section. Endoscopic surgery to harvest a saphenous veinusually involves an elongated cannula that is advanced along the courseof the vein from an initial incision to form an anatomical space aboutthe vein as connective tissue is dissected away from the vein.

Lateral branch vessels of the saphenous vein can be convenientlyisolated and ligated within the anatomical space under endoscopicvisualization using surgical scissors that can be positioned andmanipulated through the elongated cannula. Such surgical procedures arecommonly employed in the preparation of the saphenous vein for removalfrom within the anatomical space for use, for example, as a shunting orgraft vessel in coronary bypass surgery.

Surgical scissors that are used to transect vessels within the confinesof limited anatomical space formed along the course of the saphenousvein commonly incorporate electrodes on or near the tissue-shearingblades. Scissors of this type are suitable for monopolar or bipolarelectrocauterization of tissue prior to transection of, for example,lateral side branches of the saphenous vein to be harvested. However,placement of the electrodes in relation to the tissue-shearing edges ofthe blades may inhibit proper operation of the blades to shear tissueand may inhibit thorough electrocauterization of a side branch vessel asthe blades close during transection of the vessel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, surgical scissors includescissor blades mounted at the distal end of a slender body for manualmanipulation under control of a lever mounted at the proximal end of theslender body. The scissor blades support electrodes that are positionedto supply electrical energy from external sources to cauterize tissueprior to shearing the cauterized tissue at a remote surgical site in apatient. The electrodes of various configurations are spaced from, andare electrically isolated from, the tissue-cutting blades (or at leastfrom one such blade) in order to optimize both the ability to sheartissue as well as the ability to localize the electrocauterization ofthe tissue to be sheared within a wide angle of alignment of tissuerelative to the blade.

Surgical scissors in accordance with the present invention may beincorporated into and form an integral part of more comprehensivesurgical apparatus, for example, as illustrated and described withreference to FIGS. 8 and 9 of pending application Ser. No. 10/054,477,entitled “Vessel Harvesting Apparatus and Method”, filed on Jan. 18,2002 by M. Stewart et al.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of conventional bipolar surgicalscissors;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are partial sectional views of embodiments of bipolarscissors in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial sectional views of other embodiments ofbipolar scissors in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of bipolar scissors modified inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 8 a and 8 b are plan views of a set of bipolar scissor blades inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a pictorial side view of an embodiment of the bipolar scissorblades according to FIGS. 8 a and 8 b; and

FIG. 10 is a partial side view of another embodiment of bipolar scissorsin accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a cross-sectional end view ofconventional surgical scissors that include both shearing blades 9, 11and electrically-conductive blade supports 13, 15 that carry ininsulated manner the respective cutting blades 9, 11. In thisconfiguration, the cutting blades 9, 11 are positioned against tissue(typically a lateral or side branch vessel of a main vessel such as asaphenous vein) in preparation for cutting the tissue prior to orcoincident with contact being made with the tissue by the blade supportsserving as electrodes 13, 15. As a result, electrocauterization of thetissue is not possible until either the cutting blades 9, 11 penetratetissue sufficiently to engage the electrodes 13, 15, or the angle 17 ofpresentation of the tissue to the cutting blades 9, 11 is skewedsufficiently (by an obtuse angle in the illustration) for the electrodes13, 15 to contact the tissue prior to contact therewith by the shearingblades 9, 11, or the tissue is manipulated to conform to the irregularsurfaces by pressing the scissors against the tissue.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention asillustrated in FIG. 2, an outer set of blade supports 19, 21 serve asbipolar electrodes and also support respective cutting blades 23, 25 viainsulated attachment 27 to the inner or facing surfaces of the bladesupports 19, 21. A mixture of tiny glass beads and epoxy provide asuitable insulating and attaching layer 27 for securing the blades 23,25 to the respective blade supports 19, 21. The cutting blades 23, 25are thus disposed to pass by each other along an advancing point ofcontact along the contiguous cutting edges as the blades 23, 25 movetoward and past each other in scissor-like manner. The blade supports19, 21 each include a conductive extension 29, 31 that protrudesinwardly toward the opposite blade support to elevate the level orpoints of contact thereof with tissue above the level or points ofcontact of the cutting blades 21, 23 with the tissue. In thisconfiguration, the angle 30 of presentation of the tissue to the cuttingblades 23, 25 and electrodes 19, 21 within which electrical contact canbe made to tissue prior to contact therewith by the cutting blades ismuch broader, to an extreme limit as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thisfacilitates the surgeon positioning such bipolar scissors relative to aside branch vessel 33 at a diversity of angles for electrocauterizingand then transecting the vessel. In preferred embodiments, variousconfigurations of extensions 29, 31 on each of the electrodes 19, 21extend in directions toward the opposite ones of the electrodes toelevate the level of electrical contacts with tissue by about 0.018″ toabout 0.030″ above the level of the cutting edges of the blades 23, 25,as illustrated in the sectional views of FIGS. 2-6. The electrodeextensions 29 in these various illustrated embodiments may be weldedonto the facing edges of the electrodes 19, 21 that serve as bladesupports for the respective cutting blades 23, 25, or may be formed aspart of the electrode-blade support 19, 21, as shown in the plan viewsof FIGS. 8 a and 8 b.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the L-shaped extension 29 on the blade support29, as shown in sectional view, is welded or otherwise conductivelyjoined to each blade support 19. The tissue-contacting edge 40 is thuselevated by about 0.018″ to about 0.030″ while also reducing the spacing42 between the inside edge of the electrode 43 and the cutting edge 41of cutting blade 23. This increases the angle of presentation of thetissue to the cutting blades, as previously described with reference toFIG. 3. Of course, similar extensions 29 may be attached in mirrorsymmetry to each of the blade supports of a scissor structure inaccordance with the present invention to enhance the angle ofpresentation of tissue to the cutting blades.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a sectional view of anotherconductive extension 29 that is conductively attached to the back sideof the blade support 19. In this configuration, the inside edge 41 ofthe cutting blade 23 is spaced 42 from the protruding inside edge of theextension 29 at a distance that allows tissue to be compressed incauterizing or cutting action in conformity with irregular surfacesinvolved. Specifically, this structure facilitates presentation oftissue to the cutting edge 41 of the blade 23 at an angle ofapproximately 90° for optimized cutting and cauterizing operation.

Referring now to the sectional view of FIG. 7, conventional bipolarscissor blades 9, 11 that commonly extend inwardly or beyond thetissue-contacting edge of the attached electrodes 13, 15 may beelectrically configured differently to broaden the angle of presentationwithin which bipolar electrodes 9, 15 and 13 may first contact tissueprior to the blades 9, 11 making tissue-shearing contact. Specifically,electrode 15 and blade 9 are electrically coupled together 34 tocircumvent the electrical insulating properties of layer 27, while theelectrode 13 of one polarity remains electrically insulated from thestructure of blades 9, 11 and electrode 15 of opposite polarity. Thisconfiguration enhances the benefit of the blade 9, serving as anelectrode, protruding inwardly toward the opposite electrode 13, andthus enhances the angle of presentation within which tissue such as aside branch vessel may be oriented relative to the blades and electrodesfor electrocauterization prior to transection of the vessel.

This configuration also facilitates formation of current conductionpaths through tissue in contact with the structure, for example, fromblade support or electrode 13 to the cutting blade 11, or to cuttingblade 9 or to blade support 15. Alternatively, the structure of bladesupport 15 and insulating layer 27 and cutting blade 9 and conductivelink 34 can be configured as a single conductive cutting blade.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 a and 8 b, there are shown plan views of acomplementary set of left and right electrode-blade supports 19, 21 thatinclude respective extensions or protrusions 29, 31 from the facingedges thereof. These extensions or protrusions 29, 31 protrude by about0.018″ and extend along about ⅔, or a major portion, of the proximalsections of the facing edges relative to pivot axes 36. Of course, theextensions or protrusions from the facing edges may extend out to thedistal ends of the associated supports. This configuration expands theangle of presentation of tissue to the blades and electrodes withinwhich electrocauterizing contact with the tissue occurs prior toshearing contact therewith, for reasons as previously described herein,as the electrode-blade supports 19, 21 are rotated about the pivot axes36 toward each other in scissor-like manner. These electrodes 19, 21 andassociated cutting blades 23, 25 may be curved, as shown in FIG. 9, andthe cutting edges of curved blades attached thereto may be serrated toenhance tissue-cutting capability.

In another embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 10, the electrode-bladesupports 19, 21 include arcurate conductive members 37, 39 welded to, orotherwise electrically and mechanically attached to, the outer surfacesor facing edges of the electrodes 19, 21. Such arcuate members 37, 39facilitate electrical contact with tissue such as a side-branch vesselover a wide range of presentation angles relative to the electrodes 19,21. Cutting blades (not shown in FIG. 10) may be attached in insulatedmanner to the inside facing surfaces of the electrodes 19, 21 in themanner as previously described herein to facilitate cutting tissuefollowing electrocauterization during the closing of the electrodes inscissor-like manner about the pivot axis 36.

Therefore, the bipolar tissue-cauterizing and cutting instrumentsaccording to the present invention provide reliable electrical contactwith tissue to be cut over a broad range of angles of presentation ofthe tissue to the electrodes. This assures controlledelectrocauterization prior to shearing or transection of the cauterizedtissue. Various configurations of blade supports that serve aselectrodes and that support cutting blades in facing, scissor-likeengagement along contiguous cutting edges assure reliable electricalcontact for electrocauterization of tissue prior to shearing of thecauterized tissue.

1. Tissue-cutting apparatus comprising: first and second electricallyconductive tissue-cutting blades coupled together about a common pivotfor relative movement thereabout between open and closed positions, thefirst and second tissue-cutting blades, each having an elongated cuttingedge with the cutting edges disposed to pass each other in contiguousrelationship along the elongated cutting edges as the first and secondrelatively move from open toward closed positions; an electrode disposedon and insulated from each of the first and second blades on a sidethereof remote from the contiguous cutting edges; an electricalconnection between only one of the first and second blades and theassociated electrode disposed thereon for establishing common electricalsignal potential thereon, the electrode on at least one of the first andsecond tissue-cutting blades being extended with respect to the cuttingedge of the associated blade in a direction toward the cutting edge ofthe other of the first and second tissue-cutting blades; and conductorsconnected to the electrodes for supplying electrical signals thereto. 2.Tissue-cutting apparatus according to claim 1 in which the electrodes oneach of the first and second tissue-cutting blades is extended withrespect to the cutting edge of the associated blade in a directiontoward the cutting edge of the other of the first and secondtissue-cutting blades.
 3. Tissue-cutting apparatus comprising: a pair ofconductive cutting blades mounted for rotation about a common pivotbetween open and closed configurations with cutting edges of the cuttingblades disposed to pass each other in contiguous relationship alongelongated portions of the cutting edges in response to movement of thepair of cutting blades about the common pivot; and an electrode attachedto and insulated from each of the cutting blades with only one of theelectrodes connected to the associated cutting blade, the electrode onat least one of the cutting blades being extended with respect to thecutting edge of the associated blade in a direction toward the cuttingedge of the other cutting blade.
 4. Tissue-cutting apparatus accordingto claim 3 in which the electrodes on each of the cutting blades isextended in a direction toward each other.
 5. Tissue-cutting apparatusaccording to claim 3 in which an electrically-conductive electrodeextension is disposed on each of the pair of cutting blades at locationsthereon spaced from the cutting edges thereof and extended with respectthereto in a direction toward the other of the cutting edges. 6.Tissue-cutting apparatus according to claim 5 in which the electrodeextensions have facing edges disposed to contact tissue prior to thecutting edges contacting tissue during movement of the first and secondcutting blades toward the closed configuration.
 7. Tissue cuttingapparatus according to claim 5 in which the electrode extensions extendalong less than the entire length of the cutting edges proximal thepivot.
 8. Tissue-cutting apparatus according to claim 7 in which theelectrode extension extend along about ⅔ of the length of the cuttingedges proximal the pivot.
 9. Tissue-cutting apparatus according to claim5 in which each electrode extension includes an arcuate memberelectrically attached to the respective cutting blade with convexarcuate surfaces thereof facing each other and disposed to pass by eachother in response to movement of the respective cutting blades about thepivot.
 10. Tissue-cutting apparatus comprising: first and secondelectrically conductive cutting blades coupled together about a pivotfor relative movement thereabout between open and closed positions, eachof the first and second conductive cutting blades having an elongatedcutting edge disposed to pass each other in contiguous and conductiverelationship along the elongated cutting edges as the first and secondcutting blades relatively move from open toward closed positions;electrodes attached to and insulated from the cutting blades anddisposed to receive opposite-potential electrical signals suppliedthereto, the electrode on each of the first and second tissue-cuttingblades being extended with respect to the cutting edge of the associatedblade in a direction toward the cutting edge of the other of the firstand second tissue-cutting blades; and a conductor electricallyconnecting only one of the cutting blades to the attached electrode forenergizing both tissue-cutting blades and the one electrode with anopposite potential than the other electrode.
 11. Tissue-cuttingapparatus according to claim 10 further including a layer of insulationbetween the one electrode and its attached tissue-cutting blade with theconductor bridging the layer of insulation.